


I love you.

by waywardway



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 04:27:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6500800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardway/pseuds/waywardway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Malec scenes, varying contents and themes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Don't Hate Me.

As soon as Alec walks into Magnus’ apartment, a cup half-filled with a glowing, bright blue drink is thrust in his face. 

Not exactly the welcome home he was expecting. In a small burst of surprise he takes a few stumbling steps backwards — he usually had a bit more . . . stability, but the wounds all over his body were preventing him from exceeding gracefulness — with a few rapid blinks. “What’s that?”

“Isabelle called. This should patch you all up.” 

Magnus didn’t sound thrilled. In fact, his words had such an undertone of disapproval and disappointment that it took Alec everything he had to ask Magnus to stop with the subtleties already. “Magn—”

“Drink this, Alexander. Now.” 

He did as he was told. Finished off the entire thing and ignored the burning down his throat, the tingle he felt coursing through his veins, a surge of completeness. He had been banged up pretty bad, and although wounded for only a short while, they had the power to utterly drain him of energy. His stele wasn’t helping, either, so he was left with very little options than to use up the remaining he had in aiding Jace and his sister. 

“I really wish you would listen to me once in a while. Everyday I’m telling you to be cautious, and yet, nearly everyday you come home looking as if you’ve been dragged to hell and back within the course of one evening.” 

Home. This was Alec’s home. If it wasn’t for Magnus’ confrontational tone, he would have smiled at the word. It was true, in the short time he and Magnus had been officially together, Alec had spent most of his time at Magnus’, if he wasn’t at the Institute or out patrolling. 

“I was careful.” 

“You were not that careful if my magic needs to heal you.”

Alec gave Magnus a weary expression. “Magnus, not this again. Not you, too. Everyone has been on my case today. I just got away from Jace scolding me for being irrational, and Isabelle being hysterical because I knocked out. I’m fine, as I’ve always been. I’ve been trained for this. It’s going to take a lot more than a group of demons to kill me.” 

“We’re on your case because we actually care about your wellbeing.” 

“Well, I’m sorry that I’m not immortal like you, rational like Jace or possess the ability to choke people in zero-point-three seconds with a whip like Isabelle.”

…That came out harsher than intended. Magnus didn’t even flinch. Neither did Alec. It was a usual occurrence. In fact, they had had the same conversation not two days ago after Alec came home nearly bleeding to death. 

Could he help it if his job entailed physical injury?   
“I really don’t appreciate you putting other people above your own. Mundanes, who have no idea what you do for them every single day. Let the demons have them, I don’t care. Just don’t let them have you.” 

Alec’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Being a protector is in my blood, Magnus. As much as mundanes confuse and annoy the heck out of me, I need to do what I need to do. And it would help if you stopped being so negative about it.”

“You’re half human. As in, one wrong attack from a demon, one fatal attack from a vampire or a werewolf, hell, even one mundane who can use a knife is enough to kill you. Kill you, Alec.” 

There it was. Magnus only ever used his shortened name when angered. He had heard it more in the last two weeks than he had ever in his life. 

“You hate me, don’t you.” 

Magnus froze. And stared. “I cannot fathom why you would ask me such a question.”

“You hate everything about me. You hate my life, you hate my mortality, you hate my job— that means you must hate me. Because my life, my mortality, my job, it’s who I am. It’s all I am. It’s all I have. And if you hate those things, you hate me.”

Of course, Alec didn’t actually believe Magnus hated him. Far from it, actually. He saw genuine trickles of concern, of worry, of apprehension, but he had also seen genuine fondness, genuine affection, genuine love. 

Magnus wasn’t having any of it, however. Usually he would put up more of a fight, but the constant bickering over the same topic must have been draining him as well. 

“The fact that you would accuse me of that is, quite frankly, irritating me a little bit. Actually, I find it rather blasphemous and offensive. Goodnight, Alexander. Please sleep on the couch, and be gone by morning. I have an extremely busy day tomorrow and therefore have no time hitting restart on this argument.”

***

He didn’t sleep the night. After practically being kicked out, Alec opted to go back to the Institute. He should have stayed, comforted Magnus and apologized, once again, for potentially getting himself killed every night. He should have framed Magnus’ perfectly defined jawline, pressed a kiss onto his nose tip, and reassured him that next time, he would go into a fight with more runes and protection. He should have reassured him that he had nothing to worry about.

And what didn’t he do?

All of the above. 

Back at the Institute, he was demolishing a punching bag. There was no way he was getting any sleep. Simultaneous guilt and anger was not exactly sleep-inducing. And in the midst of his utter focus on beating the living ( or, rather, inanimate ) crap out of the worn out bag, he had missed Isabelle calling his name. 

That was one thing about him. Once he was focused, once he honed in on something, breaking concentration took a lot of effort. Usually, with most, it was the other way around. But he had trained himself to look at a goal, to look at an end, and race towards it without hesitation or distraction. 

So, he had zoned everything out. That was, until Isabelle stuck her hand out between him and the punching bag during the one second he had pulled away. The action quite literally smashed his concentration wall, his eyes wide and observant. 

“Izzy, what the hell? I could have hurt you!”

“There was no other way to get your attention, you weren’t responding to me.”

Alec released a hefty sigh. Relaxing his posture, he looked towards his sister. “What’s up?”

“I can’t sleep over the sound of you annihilating Fred.”

“ . . . Fred?”

“The punching bag. His name is Fred. Jace named him.” 

Alec decided not to ask. His parabatai had quirks, and it was best not to try and understand the workings of his mind.

“Sorry. I just— I have a lot of feelings.” 

Isabelle snorted. “Understatement of the year. What has you bulldozing Fred at three in the morning? You’re lucky Jace didn’t hear you, he would have strangled you in a second.” 

“Same old crap, different day.” 

Isabelle’s expression softened. She knew. Alec was pretty sure everyone at the Institute knew, because one night when Magnus had come as per Clary’s request ( Alec still didn’t know why ), he had caught Alec being rushed to the Infirmary. Possibly the worst time to be injured. Voices were raised, accusations were hurled, and Magnus had stormed out of the Infirmary ten minutes after Alec had awoken. 

“You know he just cares for you, big brother.” 

“By fighting with me? I’m tired enough as it is without his input on how I should live my life.”

“He loves you.” 

Alec found the words ironic. “I”m sure he does.” 

“Alec. Seriously. Stop with this,” she pulled him from the elbow away from the punching bag and towards his room, “and sleep. Sleep it off. You’ll feel better.” 

Alec groaned, not at all wanting to abide by her suggestion but knowing that she, as well as he, had had quite the night, and she needed rest as much as he did. He would have to put aside the punches, and get some rest. 

***

“What if I could make an immortality rune?” 

Isabelle eyed the red-haired girl over the rim of her mug. Placing it down, she shook her head. “I hope I did not just hear you say that.”

“What? It would solve so many things.”

“Don’t mess with the natural order of things, Clary. Enhancing abilities, that’s one thing. Extending life? That’s a whole other thing. Believe me, its a can of worms you do not want to be opening.” 

Isabelle paused. “Why do you ask?” 

“Magnus.” 

Isabelle scrunched up her features, her lips pressing together in a small frown. “He asked you to do it?” She knew what trouble that could cause for him and Alec, should her brother find out. The mention of mortality had Alec seeing red—knowing that Magnus went behind his back to ask Clary for some immortality rune would no doubt cause havoc. 

“No, he didn't ask me to kidnap Alec and force a rune I created on him. He just wanted to know if it was possible, if I could do it.”

“Keep it to yourself. If Alec finds out about this, he’ll lose it.” 

She spoke too soon. Because Alec had overheard, yes, he had heard everything and he was not pleased. Not at all.

***

“I can’t believe you!” 

“What is it now, Alexander? Did I not tell you just eight hours ago that I was busy today?” 

Alec kicked his boots off to the wall, his footsteps heavy as he strode towards the relaxed Magnus, who was sipping green tea whilst reading the newspaper. The calmness of it all infuriated Alec further.

“An immortality rune? Have you lost your mind, Magnus? Have you?” 

That made Magnus look towards Alec’s rigid frame, his iced eyes, and the tightness that had enveloped his expression. “I just asked. Nothing more.” 

“You hate the fact that I’m human that much? You hate that you’ll outlive me so much that you were planning on just erasing part of who I am?”

“Alexander, you really need to calm down.” Magnus folded the newspaper with steady hands, readjusting his position so that now he was facing Alec head on. “I wouldn’t have used it on you without your knowledge and permission. I’m not trying to take, or erase, anything of yours.” 

The part that did Alec in was not the idea of immortality. There was nothing more he wanted than to spend an eternity with Magnus, to know him and be happy with him— nothing more. Immortality sounded amazing. 

It was the conniving that did it. The secrets. The fact that Magnus asked Clary for advice, the fact that Magnus was bringing their issues and unloading them onto others. That angered him. 

“I don’t believe you. I don’t believe you for a second. Because if I had asked Clary for a mortality rune to use on you, and she somehow managed to draw one up, it would tempt me to no end. I would want to use it, whether you wanted me to or not, because the thought of not having you, the thought of dying before you and leaving unfulfilled would have eaten me up inside. The thought of you living on without me, finding happiness without me, making memories without me would have made me insane and mad and crazy.” 

Alec was panting and heaving as if saying those words had knocked the wind out of him. His entire body was trembling and he looked as if he was on the threshold of collapsing. Overpowering Magnus’ anger was his overwhelming desire to keep Alec whole. And right at that moment, Alec looked so vulnerable to self combustion that he stood from his seat, walked over, and pulled Alec into his arms.

Alec didn’t struggle. He didn’t push away, or tell Magnus to stop. His entire frame moulded into Magnus’ own until they became one. Limbs entangled, his head tucked neatly into the crook of Magnus’ neck and breathing in his scent and allowing it to calm him down. 

“I love you. I love you, and everything that encompasses. I’m not happy about the fact that you hunt demons for a living, and that you are in danger every single day when I’m not around to protect you. I’m not happy that demons are attracted to you and that you need to burn symbols into your skin to keep you from flopping around like a mere mundane, I’m not happy that you are so headstrong and stubborn and so duty-orientated that you would willingly sacrifice your own life for the sake of others— yes, all of that makes me extremely unhappy. But I love that you are so brave, courageous, a fighter. I’m so proud of you, Alexander. And everything you do. I’m proud of everything, because you are not just a Shadowhunter. No, you are so much more. You are compassionate even when you pretend not to be, you feel strongly, you are so devoted and loyal to your family, you are fierce and strong and determined. I love you. I would never, despite temptation, do anything to you to alter you in any way shape or form. And if it came off like I would choose my own selfish desires over you, then I sincerely apologize, love. You are perfect in all of your stubbornness, and I wouldn’t want to change it for the world.” 

The words fell from his mouth as easily as taking in a breath. Not because they held less meaning, not because they had become routine— but because they were sincere. The thoughts had so quickly become second nature that expression hadn’t become a problem. Not that expression was much of an issue with Magnus. He knew, however, that Alec wasn’t quit the same. Alec built walls around himself and his heart, even with Magnus. Not walls that restricted, or kept Magnus out—rather, walls that kept Alec appearing strong. But he knew better. Magnus knew that, once in a while, Alec needed to be told how much he was loved. Alec was a pile of mush pretending to be a rock. It was endearing, to say the least.

“Magnus?”

“Yes, darling.”

“I love you.”


	2. I hate her.

“Magnus put that down, it’s dangerous—” Although, in a fit of laughter, he didn’t know if he was at all comprehensible. It was one of those rare occasions where Magnus was at the Institute at Alec’s request, and not for business. And everyone ( or, well, everyone important ) knowing about their relationship had been a soothing factor for Alec to be as expressive as he wished. Kind of. 

“Or else what? I’ll stab somebody? Oh, Alexander. I guarantee I have far more experience with a bow and quiver than your distinguished self.” The tip of the arrowhead was gently tapping against Alec’s chest, Magnus gracing his expression with an obnoxiously innocent smile. 

The sexual innuendo did not go unnoticed. “Yeah, five hundred years ago. The times have changed.” Alec teased, reaching over not for the arrow but rather to envelop Magnus’ frame into his embrace. Things would have gone a bit further had it not been for this mother, standing by the doorway of the training room and clearing her throat to make her presence noticed. Alec and Magnus, in sync, turned to the origin of the sound. Reluctantly, and slowly too, Alec’s arm slipped from Magnus’ waist. 

“Mom.” 

“Alexander, what in the Angel’s name are you doing? This isn’t a play center.”

“I’m just showing Magnus around. That’s all.”

“And what about the people who genuinely need to use this space as a training room?”

“We have ten more down the hall, I’m sure all of those would work just fine.” 

Alec tensed. And, as if by instinct, took a step side to place himself firmly in front of Magnus who had ceased all laughter. Magnus, who usually had plenty to say, said nothing. He wanted to, by God did he want to Maryse’s stuck-up ass right in her place— but that wasn’t what Alec would have wanted. He left Alec to deal with his mother the way he saw fit, and did not unnecessarily get himself involved. Instead, his fingers gently rested on Alec’s hip, as if to ease Alec’s tension. 

“I don’t see why a Downworlder needs to be given a tour of an Institute.” 

“This Downworlder has a name, and he happens to be with me. I happen to be the son of the people who run this place. Therefore, he was every right to be here, as much as I do. I invited him.”

Maryse scowled. Some were accepting of Magnus and Alec’s relationship. Others, not so much. 

“I’m not having any conversation with you until you’ve gotten some sense knocked into you.” And with that, she left. 

A heavy silence ensued for a few seconds, before broken by Magnus muttering something extremely vulgar about knocking. 

I hate her. “I’ve always liked your mother.” 

Alec frowned, turning around to properly face him. “I’m sorry about her. She just doesn’t want to understand.” Alec’s finger ghosted along the skin of Magnus’ cheekbone, his frown morphing into an apologetic smile. “She’ll come around. Once she sees you like I do, there’s no way she won’t.”

Ah, his Alexander. His optimistic Alexander. “Of course she will, darling. Of course she will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! All of the hits and kudos and bookmarks, thank you!!

**Author's Note:**

> Not all of the entries will be this long, but enjoy anyways! <3


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